1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable storage (retaining) apparatus and a cable processing method, which retain the surplus portions (surplus lengths) of cables at the time a plurality of electronic devices are connected by the cables.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of electronic devices are normally connected by cables. In some cases, however, it is difficult to identify which connectors are connected by which cable. Without processing the surplus portion (surplus length) of a cable (surplus length processing), the cable hangs down loosely. further, the weight of the hung cable itself applies stress on the connectors or the like. As cables are likely to be laid disorderly, the layout looks poor and the working environment where electronic devices are to be handled is apt to become poor.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H5-152770 discloses a cable apparatus which can overcome those problems. The disclosed cable apparatus can retain a part (surplus portion) of a cable in the casing. This cable apparatus however requires that a user should determine the length of the surplus portion of a cable and retain the surplus portion in the casing himself or herself. This work is troublesome and inconvenient.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cable storage apparatus and a cable processing method which can automatically adjust the length of the surplus portion of a cable.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cable storage apparatus and a cable processing method which are easy to use.
To achieve the above objects, according to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cable storage apparatus comprising:
a casing;
a cable having both ends respectively to be connected to connectors;
a reel which is disposed in the casing and around which the cable is to be wound;
a winding mechanism which winds the cable by rotating the reel;
a pressure sensor which measures a pressure on the cable; and
a control circuit which controls winding of the cable by the winding mechanism when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value.
The pressure sensor is located on, for example, a cable winding surface of the reel and measures a pressure of the cable acting on the cable winding surface.
For example, a first opening and a second opening are formed in the casing and a first and second restraining mechanisms which restrains movement of the cable are arranged in the casing near the first and second openings.
A cable through hole may be formed in the reel, penetrating a circular side surface of the reel perpendicularly to a rotary shaft of the reel. In this case, the winding mechanism has a motor whose rotary shaft is coaxial to the rotary shaft of the reel, and the cable is led through the first opening of the casing, is put through the cable through hole of the reel, is wound on the circular side surface of the reel and is then led out from the second opening of the casing.
With the cable secured by the first restraining mechanism and not by the second restraining mechanism, for example, the reel is rotated by the motor to wind the cable around the reel, and when the pressure sensor detects a predetermined pressure, the motor is stopped and the cable is secured by the second restraining mechanism.
The cable storage apparatus may further comprise a sensor which detects that tension of the cable becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined value, and an alarm circuit which generates an alarm in response to detection of the sensor.
To achieve the above objects, according to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cable storage apparatus comprising:
a casing having two openings formed for insertion of a cable;
a reel which is disposed in the casing and around which the cable extending between the two openings is to be wound;
a winding mechanism which winds the cable by rotating the reel;
a pressure sensor which measures a pressure on the cable; and
a control circuit which controls winding of the cable by the winding mechanism when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value.
To achieve the above objects, according to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a cable processing method comprising:
securing a cable, led into a casing through a first opening formed in the casing, put through a hole formed perpendicular to a rotary shaft of a reel, wound on a side surface of the reel and led out from a second opening formed in the casing, at one of the first and second openings;
winding the cable around the reel by rotating the reel; and
detecting force applied to the cable, and stopping rotating the reel and securing the cable at the second opening when the force applied to the cable reaches a predetermined value.
Tension on the cable may be detected so that an alarm is generated when the tension becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.